CSc 460 (Database Design) Syllabus Summary
Spring 2026
NOTE: This is only a summary of the class syllabus; see the long version for full details!
General Catalog Information:
| Description: | Functions of a database system. Data modeling and logical database design. Query languages and query optimization. Efficient data storage and access. Database access through standalone and web applications. |
| Lecture: | Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m., Architecture (a.k.a. CAPLA) 103 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Passing grades in both CSc 335 and CSc 345 |
| Credits: | 3 |
| Final Exam: | Monday, May 11, 2026, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. The final is required, is comprehensive, and will be given on this date at this time. Make your end-of-semester travel plans accordingly. |
Class Personnel:
| Name | Office | Email (@arizona.edu) | Phone | Office Hours | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instructor | Prof. Lester I. McCann | G-S 819 | mccann | 621-3498 | See schedule | |
| Grad TA | Jianwei (James) Shen | TBD | sjwjames | ----- | ... on Piazza | |
| Grad TA | Muhammad Bilal | TBD | mbilal | ----- | ... and Brightspace! |
Please keep in mind that it is possible to meet us outside of office hours; contact us to make an appointment.
Information Resources:
| D2L: | CSC 460 SP26 001 All class materials will be available from this D2L page, but most of it is hosted on the class web site (see next link). |
| Homepage: | https://www2.cs.arizona.edu/classes/cs460/spring26/ When you follow a link from D2L, unless it's a video, odds are that the link will take you here. |
| Textbook: | Database Systems (Connolly/Begg), U.S. 6th ed., Addison-Wesley, 2015. is the required text. Do not buy an international edition or an earlier edition! The best deal I know of is the D2L ebook price. The book's corresponding web site is worth exploring; click the title to access it. Of particular note are the on-line appendices, some of which you may wish to reference. |
| Class Discussions: | We will be using
Piazza
for outside-of-class questions, discussions, and announcements.
Click here to access the CSc 460 message board . Not already enrolled in this class in Piazza? Click here to signup . |
| CS Helpdesk: | Need help with your lectura account, the computers in G-S 903, etc.? Visit the Computer Science Lab Helpdesk for FAQs and the ability to submit a help ticket. |
Grades and Grading:
| Homeworks | = | 16 | % | total (4 @ 4% each) |
| Programs | = | 24 | % | total (4 @ 6% each) |
| Midterm Exams | = | 40 | % | total (2 @ 20% each) |
| Comprehensive Final Exam | = | 20 | % | |
| Total | = | 100 | % |
By department policy, the final exam is required.
Topic Schedule:
Week Date Class # Scheduled Topics Assigned Today Due Today
---- ----- ------- ---------------- -------------- ------------
1 01/13 -- --- --- ---
01/15 1 Syllabus, 1 Program #1 ---
2 01/20 2 1,2 --- ---
01/22 3 2 --- Program #1(A)
3 01/27 4 2,3 --- ---
01/29 5 3 Program #2 Program #1(B)
4 02/03 6 3 --- ---
02/05 7 3,4 --- ---
5 02/10 8 4 --- ---
02/12 9 4,5 Homework #1 Program #2
6 02/17 10 5 --- ---
02/19 11 6 --- Homework #1
7 02/24 12 7 Homework #2 ---
02/26 13 Midterm #1 --- ---
8 03/03 14 7 --- ---
03/05 15 8 Homework #3 Homework #2
[ ---------------------------- S P R I N G B R E A K ----------------------- ]
9 03/17 16 8 --- ---
03/19 17 8 Program #3 Homework #3
10 03/24 18 8 --- ---
03/26 19 9 --- ---
11 03/31 20 10 --- ---
04/02 21 11 Homework #4 Program #3
12 04/07 22 11,12 --- ---
04/09 23 12 --- Homework #4
13 04/14 24 12 Program #4 ---
04/16 25 Midterm #2 --- ---
14 04/21 26 13 --- Program #4(A)
04/23 27 13,14 --- ---
15 04/28 28 14,15 --- Program #4(B)
04/30 29 15 --- ---
16 05/05 30 16 --- Program #4
05/07 -- No Class; Reading Day --- ---
Finals 05/11 -- Final Exam (Mon 3:30p) --- ---
We will stick to the exam dates if at all possible. The rest of the dates are less firm, but we'll try to stick to them, too.
AGAIN: This is only a summary of the class syllabus; see the long version for full details!